James River bolts may or may not work in a commercial Inland or Auto-Ordnance carbine. This is true of any bolt other than those specifically made for Inland and Auto-Ordnance. Just because the bolt fits doesn't mean it will function properly. But, some will, some won't. The reason for this is the receiver and parts used by Inland and Auto-Ordnance are built to specs that are their own and not the same as GI specs. The bolts used by Auto-Ordnance and Inland have slightly different dimensions than other bolts. The receiver, slide and other parts are designed to work together with each others specs. Insert a GI part and it might work, might not. What allows it to work are the loose tolerances some of the carbines made by Inland and Auto-Ordnance are held too. Some of those tolerances fluctuate so one carbine will work with a GI bolt, another won't. Some will fit and seem to work okay but won't function properly during firing.

This isn't a flaw with Auto-Ordnance or Inland Mfg carbines. It's by design. They are not carbines built to GI specs. They are replica carbines built to the manufacturer's specs. If you want a replacement bolt you would be wise (and it's less expensive) to buy an Auto-Ordnance bolt for your Inland Mfg carbine. It would be even wiser and less expensive if Inland corrected this issue and their bolts had a lifespan that didn't require their bolts to be replaced in the first couple thousand rounds fired.

Jim
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